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METHODS OF INSTRUCTION 



HOAA^ TO TEACH 



READING, PRONUNCIATION, 



AND 



SPELLING, 



BY . 
W^ILLIAM A. CAMPBELL, 

PRINCIPAL PUBLIC SCHOOL NO. 44, BROOKLYN, N. Y. 



"Man cannot propose a higher and holier object for his study, than 
education, and all that appertains to education." 

I JUL 191889 , ^ 

NEW YORK: 

THOMAS KELLY 

PUBLISHER. 



v 



Copyright, 1889, by T. Kelly. 



PREFACE. 

This little book does uot claim to iiresent a complete 
Manual of Instruction in Heading. It purposely avoids 
the discussion of many questions that arise in the Science 
of Elocution. The chief business of the teachers in 
Grammar and Primary Schools should be to develop easy, 
natural, and intelligent expression. The time must be 
spent almost exclusively with the art of reading; we 
must deal with the lioiu to read, and not the lohij ; we 
must not depend upon rules, but upon exercises. There- 
fore, this book presents only model exercises which, in 
kind, may be multiplied at the discretion of the teacher. 
It also contains many hints and suggestions bearing upon 
the teaching of reading, pronunciation, and spelling. 

A teacher who has to depend largely upon his own 
resources and methods, occasionally feels the need of a 
sympathizing and a helping friend. Books of reference 
and books on teaching are the true friends of earnest 
teachers. They help the teacher by warning him of 
dangerous methods and by giving the successful experi- 
ences of others. 

It is hoped that the remarks upon methods, the model 
exercises, the danger signals, and the suggestions may be 
found practical and useful. 



From the hour of the invention of printing:, book?;, and not 
kings, were to rule in the world. Weapons forged in the mind, 
keen-edged, and brighter than a sunbeam, were to supplant the 
sword and the battle-ax. Books ! light-houses built on the sea of 
Time ! Books ! by whose sorcery the whole pageantry of the 
world's history moves in solemn procession before our eyes. From 
their pages great souls look down in all their grandeur, undimmed 
by the faults and follies of earthly existence, consecrated by time. 

Edwin P. WmrPLE. 

In the course of our reading we should lay up in our minds a 
store of goodly thoughts in well-wrought words, which shall be a 
living treasure of knowledge always with us, and from which, at 
various times, and amidst all the shifting of circumstances, we 
might be sure of drawing some comfort, guidance, and sympathy. 

Arthur Helps. 

Thinking, not growth, makes manhood. Accustom yourself, 

therefore, to thinking. Set yourself to understand whatever you 

see or read. To join thinking with reading is one of the first 

maxims, and one of the easiest operations. 

Isaac Tatlor. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



IMPORTANCE OF METHODS. 

Teaching must be regarded as a Science and an 
Art. Hence, it may be studied like other sciences 
and arts ; certain facts, principles, inferences, and 
rules may be presented for comparison and appli- 
cation. 

The time has long since gone by when teachers 
could presume to enter upon their work without 
special preparation. The teacher of to-day owes 
it to herself and to her pupils to know "how to 
teach." 

The obligation upon her demands that she 
acquaint herself with the ]\iodeek methods of 

TEACHING. 

It may be argued in defense of the old methods 
that father and grandfather were taught to read, 
to spell, to cipher, and to write correctly by them ; 
and since they were successful and honorable men, 
the sons and grandsons can not be misguided by 
the same methods. 



6 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

With equal force it might be answered that, 
since father and grandfather made long journeys 
on horseback or in stage-coach successfully, there- 
fore the boys of to-day should not save time by 
traveling on our modern express trains. 

A young business man of to-day who would not 
avail himself of the modern appliances of comnui- 
nication and travel, the telephone, the telegraph, 
the railroad, and the express, merits failure, and 
the indignity of being called an insane crank. 

In a similar position is the teacher who rejects 
the modern methods of teaching and clings to the 
old. Equally culpable is the teacher who neglects 
to inform herself of the new ways of teaching the 
various branches. 

Within the last two decades, great changes 
have been wrought in the development of science, 
in the extension of art, in architecture, and in the 
making of books, which record these advances 
and discoveries. 

So, if a man desired to buy a book on medicine 
or architecture for present use, he would order the 
latest edition. 

School-book literature within the last decade 
has undergone wonderful changes in both educa- 
tional methods and mechanical style. 

TJie principals and teachers, no less than the 
doctors, should claim tTie latest and lest hooJcs. 

The scJiool-room should he furnished with the 
lest looks and appliances the market affords. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOJS^. 7 

There is no time to he lost hy clinging affection- 
ately to the old. 

This little volume has been prepared to aid all 
who desire to become acquainted with the prevail- 
ing methods in our best schools. 

Feeling convinced that talks and lectures alone 
do not meet the wants of our teachers, the author 
has selected and arranged some lessons that may 
serve as practical models. 

No attempt has been made at originality ; this 
volume simply presents the modern methods of 
teaching Reading, Spelling, Pronunciation, and 
Articulation. 

We will first present the different 

METHODS OF TEACHING READING. 

At the present time, the following four methods 
of teaching reading are used : the Alphabet, the 
Word, the Sentence, and the Phonic methods. 

THE ALPHABET METHOD. 

The Alx)habet, or ABC Method, commences 
with letters. These letters may be taught from a 
book, from a chart, from cards, from blackboard, 
or from blocks. The mode of conducting the reci- 
tation according to this method wdll depend some- 
what upon the kind of apparatus used. 

The underlying principles, how^ever, of this 



8 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

method are the same. By it an attempt is made 
to teach the pronunciation of words by having 
pupils call the names of the letters. 

To learn our Alphabet, then, a child must be- 
come acquainted with twenty-six arbitrary forms, 
and associate with them twenty -six arbitrary 
names. 

It will be seen that many other forms for the 
letters might be adopted that would answer the 
purpose just as well as the present ones. 

In fact, many of the script letters have been very 
much simplified in late systems of jDenmanship. 
The names of some letters correspond with their 
sounds. But so few of the sounds of the English 
Language are represented by the names of the 
twenty-six letters that very little practical advan- 
tage can be derived from it in teaching. 

A child cannot see why lea is a better name for 
the letter Tz than cee would be. 

It is not uncommon to hear young children 
spell c-a-t and j)ronounce it dog ; also, they will 
spell such words as rat^ and Tom^ t-a-r and m-o-t. 

This is the usual experience of teachers who use 
the Alphabetic Method of teaching the first steps 
in reading. 

These results show conclusively that the names 
of the letters are of little assistance in learning the 
sound-words. 

Rev. Thos. Hill, one of the most eminent educa- 
tors of the age, says : "In teaching a child ABC, 



METHODS OF TNSTBUCTIOTT. 9 

and impressing on his mind that these letters spell 
the words of the language, you teach him a false- 
hood and give him little chance to detect the cheat. 
I say, so far from helping him to read, you have 
put a formidable obstacle in the way of his learn- 
ing to read. The letters do not spell the words, 
and therefore the knowledge of the letters does 
not aid him in reading the words ; they do spell 
something else, and therefore are an actual hin- 
drance in learning to read." 

Dr. Edward Brooks, an educator of to-day, 
whose success is without a rival, says : " In many 
cases, the name not only does not suggest tiie 
sound, but bears no relation to it. How, for in- 
stance, can any learner know that the sounds 
represented by aitcli, eye, donUe-ell, spell the 
word liUl. If we should pronounce words by 
uniting the names of their letters, we should have 
quite a different word from the one intended. 
Thus, me would spell the word em-me, at would 
spell eigli-ty, leg would spell el-e-gy, ntt would 
spell entity, titk would ^j)Q\lu-ti-ca, etc., and what 
the names of the letters of such words as hrouglit 
and pMliisiG could spell, we leave to the ingenuity 
of the teacher who still uses this method. 

"A method so evidently absurd sJiould no longer 
find a place in onr schools'' 

The question may be asked, ''Have not thou- 
sands of children learned by this method % " With- 
out fear of contradiction, it may be answered, ' ' No." 



10 METHODS OF I]^STEUCTION. 

Children who were required to learn in this wav 
actually learned to pronounce w^ords by associa- 
tion and the phonic method. 

The children became familiar with the written 
words, and learned to associate the sound-words, 
as given by the teacher, with these forms. The 
quick perceptions of children at this stage will 
lead them to pronounce words of similar form to 
those they know. 

Thus, they will gradually and without effort 
learn the force of certain letters in words. The 
author recalls classes of boys and girls at the ages 
of six and seven who spent from six to ten months 
in school, in trying to learn their alphabet accord- 
ing to this method. He can see each little child 
taxed from A to Z and from Z to A in the vain 
search for the names of the letters. The main 
business of the recitation was to name the letters ; 
nothing was added to interest or instruct the 
children ; sometimes, by way of variety, the impa- 
tience of the teacher would correct the mistakes 
of the little ones by striking them with a pencil 
over the knuckles. What cannot be taught a child 
at this age through smiles and sunshine, cannot 
be taught through frowns and tears. 

During all this time no attempt was made to 
teach a word. It was thought useless, yes, impos- 
sible, to teach reading until the letters were 
known. How is it to-day ? 
Classes of forty are taught to read at sight two 



METHODS OF mSTRUCTlON. 11 

hundred words, and to read the same words in 
sentences in six months. In addition, the children 
are pleased and instructed. 

THE WORD METHOD. 

This method begins at once with teaching tlie 
words. Children learn the loorci-forms in a man- 
ner similar to that by which they learn to distin- 
guish one picture from another. 

This method, when properly used, acquaints the 
child with the meaning of the spoken word, before 
teaching it the printed or written form-words. 

In this way, in the child's mind, each new word 
stands as the sign of some object, quality, action, 
or relation. 

No attempt should be made in the beginning to 
teach the names of the letters of the alphabet. 

After the chiklren have become familiar with 
quite a number of form-words, and can read some 
short sentences made of these words, it will be 
proper to call attention to the letter -forms compos- 
ing words. 

The experience, however, of those who use this 
method is, that no time need be spent in teaching 
the letters. The names of the letters will be 
learned incidentally. 

Norman A. Calkins, dissociate Superintendent 
of Public Schools, New York City, says : "Chil- 
dren learn the concrete before the abstract ; the 
whole before its parts. Words are the lolioles in 



12 METHODS OF INSTEUCTION. 

the first lessons of reading. Their parts, or analysis 
into sounds and letters, belong to a subsequent 
step. 

'* To secure a habit of reading with an easy, 
natural voice, the child must be trained from the 
first to treat printed words as signs of actions, 
things, and thoughts. Both the form and the 
sound of the word should be associated with the 
object or thought represented." 

Neither a sjyolcen word hoy Vi printed word means 
anything to a child until it symbolizes an object 
or an idea which that child already knows. 

Professor M. A. Garvey, in his excellent work 
on ''Human Culture," makes clear what the first 
steps in teaching reading should be, in the follow- 
ing language : — 

"Let the child's mind be filled with as many 
ideas as possible, and with spoken words to repre- 
sent them. When a child knows the audible sound 
for an idea, it will very soon learn to recognize the 
visible symbol of the same idea without reference 
to the letters that form the word, or the sounds 
that the letters stand for ; and this is a far more 
effectual method of teaching it to read than the 
usual practice of making the pupil go through a 
weary synthetical process, which he is utterly 
incapable of comprehending. The mind of the 
child, daily increasing in its knowledge of things, 
and in the power of knowing, vdYi not long be 
satisfied with the general form of the words that 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 13 

stand for the names of its favorite objects ; lie will 
want to know about the letters. This spontaneous 
movement of inquiry indicates the moment at 
Avhich the teaching of the elementary sounds, and 
their combinations, should begin. The value of 
the several letters is a more difficult process, and 
better suited to a more advanced state of mental 
culture than exists at the initial step of reading. 

"The rapidity mth which a child may be 
taught to read by recognizing the simple form of 
the words at first is surprising, and no less sur- 
prising is the facility and perfection with which 
spelling is afterward learned." 

SENTENCE METHOD. 

This method commences with sentences ; chil- 
dren are taught these in the same manner as words 
are taught in the AVord IMethod. The child is 
given a short statement, or led to make one, of an 
object ; then, the sentence representing that thought 
is placed before him, and he learns to recognize it 
as a picture. 

If the sentence is taught first, the words com- 
posing it must soon follow in the order of teach- 
ing. After a few short sentences are taught, in 
this way, the children begin to recognize the sepa- 
rate words in the sentence, and soon learn to rely 
on their knowledge of Avords. 

If words are taught in the beginning, sentences 
built of these words must soon be given the chil- 



14 METHODS OF INSTEUCTION. 

dren. So these two methods cannot be separated 
long'; in fact, they are different steps of the same 
method. 

However, children read with best expression 
when they have complete mastery of words and 
thought in sentences. 

It is claimed for this plan that it has decided 
advantages over any other, in teaching the children 
ease and naturalness of expression. 

It is well, then, to train them to recognize sen- 
tences as units. 

The habit of some primary teachers to require 
children to take in the entire sentence with the 
eye before commencing to read it, is commendable. 

PHONIC METHOD. 

According to this method, one passes to the ele- 
ments of the si:>olien word. These elements are the 
elementary sounds of the language ; in the same 
way the letters are the elements of the written 
words. 

It seems most rational to teach the analysis of 
the spoken word, before the analysis of the printed 
word. 

A child's knowledge of the spoken language is 
the basis for what' he must learn of the written 
language. 

By analyzing a word, as man, we show the pupil 
that a spoken w ord consists of distinct and sepa- 
rate sounds ; we then teach him to recognize these 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOIS^. 15 

sounds, and afterward teach the characters which 
represent them. In this way, the letters are intro- 
duced as symbols of sounds, and not as abstract 
characters with names. 

The analysis of a very few words will discover 
some important facts ; viz., firsts that the elements 
of spoken words are more in number than the 
letters in the alphabet ; second, that the same 
letters have different strength, or represent unlike 
sounds, in different combinations ; thirds that 
some letters in certain words have no strength, 
and are called silent. 

There are but tw^enty-six letters in the written 
language ; at the same time, there are in ordinary 
use in the spoken language about forty-three or 
forty-four elementary sounds. 

These differences make it necessary to introduce 
some system of notation to indicate the sound of 
those characters that represent more than one 
sound. 

In the earlier use of this method it will be found 
of great advantage to indicate the silent letters of 
w^ords, so that pupils may know the letters that 
are to be sounded. 

For a system of notation it will be best to 
use that presented in "AYebster's Dictionary," as 
this is most frequently used in our readers and 
spellers. 

The following key to the pronunciation will be 
of great use : 



16 



METHODS OF IJSSTEUCTIOjS" 



KEY TO PRONUNCIATION. 







VOWELS. 






a, long, as in 


L ate 


o, long^ as in old 


a, short, 




fat 


6, short. 


u 


not 


a, Italian, 




arm 


g, likelong 00, 


a 


mov( 


a, broad, 




all 


o, nice short oo, 


(( 


AVOlf 


a. 




air 


6, like short u. 


ii. 


son 


a, 




ask 


6, likehroada. 


u 


form 


a, like short 


? 


what 


Ob, 


u 


fcTbd 








do, 


u 


foot 


e, long. 




mete 








e, short. 




met 


u, long. 


4( 


use 


e, like a, 




ere 


ii, short. 


(( 


tiib 


e, like long a. 




prey 


\\,precededl)yr 


> 


rude 


e, 




verge 


\\, like short oo, 


u 


pull 








A 


fct 


burn 


1, long. 




Ice 








i, ^^ori^, 




it 


J, long, 


(£ 


fly 


i, like long e. 




police 


f, short, 


(( 


gyst 


1, like e, 




virgin 

DIPHTt 


lONGS. 







oi, or oy (unmarked), as in oil, toy 
ou, or ovr (unmarked), " out, owl 



ai, ea, ou, oa, au, ei, ie, au, etc, are improper 
diphthongs, in which but one vowel is sounded. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



17 



CONSONANTS. 



9, like s, 
•e, like k^ 
ch, 

gh, like sTi, 
-eh, like k, 
g, hard, 
g,soft, likejY 
s, sharp, 



as in gede 



u 



u 



a 



a 



such 

ghaise 

-ehorus 

get 

gem 

yes 



V^OCAL EQUIVALENTS. 



§, like z, as in hag 


fh, sharp, ' 


' breafh 


th, vocal, ' 


* liiine 


lig, ' 


' sing 


n, ' 


' link 


$, like egz, ' 


' e^ist 


ph, like/, ' 


' Philip 


qu, like kw, ' 


' queen 



a = e, as in day, they 

a = e, " 



a = o. 



a 



e— i, as in mete, machine 
e=i=ii, as in her, sir, fur 
T=y, as in line, style 
i—f, as in sin, ht^mn 



fair, there 
fall, form 
a = o, " what, not 

o=:ob=u, as In move, moon, rule 

6=11, as in son, sun 

o=ob=:u, as in wolf, foot, pull 

oy=oi, and ow=ou, as in boil, boy, cow, loud 

The names of the marks in this system of nota- 
tion are : — 

The mark over a is called dot. 

The mark over a is called dieresis. 

The mark over a is called caret. 

The mark over a is called macron. 

The mark under § is called suspended macron. 

The mark under 9 is called cedilla. 

The mark over e is called tilde, or wave line. 

The mark over e is called breve. 



18 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

There are three distinct steps in this method ; 
the first is to discover the elementary sounds by 
speaking words very slowly ; the second is to 
recognize these sounds in new words ; the third is 
to combine these sounds and thus form new 
words. 

The first step, or phonic analysis^ is prop- 
erly applied in finding the elementary sounds 
in spoken words. This presupjDoses that the 
words have been learned as wholes by the word 
method. 

While the entire work of this method is a train- 
ing to the ear, the second step is designed espe- 
cially for this purpose. 

To train pupils to hear quickly and correctly is 
culture. What differences are noticed in this 
power in large classes ! How many fail to hear 
intelligently, thoughtfully ! 

The third step, or Phonic Synthesis, is employed 
in teaching new words. Instead of giving the 
names of the new words as they occur in the read- 
ing lessons, the pupils are led to get the sounds of 
the words themselves. 

Write the new word upon the blackboard, with 
the marks of notation and accent, and then require 
the sounds combined into words. 

The new words at the head of each reading 
lesson in our modern readers are marked in this 
way ; so are all the words in our dictionaries. 

It is evident that when the child has once 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 19 

learned in this way the sound represented by each 
character, he has the key to the pronunciation of 
every new w^ord. He is able to go on rapidly, 
and without the direct and constant help of the 
teacher. 

This method will greatly aid in learning to 
spell. By the process of analysis, the child ob- 
serves carefully all the elements that enter into the 
word, and is thus better prepared to spell it. 

It is often seen that persons who acquire easily 
a knowledge and use of words are poor spellers. 
In such cases this defect results from learning 
words as wholes, as pictures of ideas. 

''This process is also an excellent disciplinary 
exercise, cultivating the ear and the voice, as well 
as the eye. We find a large number of children 
in our schools, who have a foreign accent, and in 
no way can we so quickly and effectually correct 
this, as by phonic drill." 

WHAT CHILDREN OF SIX YEARS KNOW 
WHEN THEY ENTER SCHOOL. 

When children begin school attendance at the 
age of six they understand the common meaning 
and use of several hundred words : 

(1) They are able to recognize words, phrases, 
and sentences by ear. 

(2) They know their meaning. 

(3) They know their use. 



20 METHODS OF INSTEUCTION. 

WHAT CHILDREN OF SIX YEARS ARE TO 
BE TAUGHT. 

1. They are to be taught to recognize familiar 
words, phrases, and sentences by sight. 

2. They are to be taught how to read them at 
sight. 

3. They are to be taught the order of the sounds 
and letters used to spell them. 

HOW TO GIVE THE FIRST LESSONS. 

We have already stated the several methods by 
which a child may be taught to read. We will 
now proceed to describe what we regard as the 
correct method in practice. 

Beginners should be taught by a judicious com- 
bination of the word method, the phonic method, 
and the spelling method. 

After learning to call a limited number of words 
at sight, the phonic method is introduced, and 
from this time, the three methods run practically 
together. 

No one method should be made a hobby of, or 
used to the exclusion of the others. To obtain the 
best results they must be used simultaneously. 

FIRST DAY'S WORK IN SCHOOL. 

MODEL LESSONS. 

The teacher must begin by a familiar conversa- 
tion with the children about some common object 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 21 

or animal. Time spent in this way is not lost. In 
all the early lessons, the great aim of the teacher 
should be to get the children to talk. 

Great care must he taken to Jiave the cliildren 
answer in complete sentences. Of course, this 
practice must not be carried to the extreme of pro- 
ducing a stilted or unnatural form of speech. 

FIRST LESSON. 

Teacher. How many of you have cats at home 'I 

Pupils. I have a black one. I have one. I, I, 
I have one. 

T. Is the cat large ? 

P. The cat is not so large as the dog. 

T. What will a cat catch ? 

P. She will catch mice, rats, and chickens. 

T. What will she do with a rat ? 

P. She will kill it and eat it. 

Here the teacher shows the picture of a cat, or 
draws the picture of one upon the blackboard. 

T. What is this? 

P. It is a cat. 

T. Can this cat catch rats ? 

P. No, she can not. That is only the picture of 
a cat. 

T. Do you have the picture of a cat at home ? 

P. No, I have a real cat. 

T. Now I will write the word cat upon the 
board. What have I written ? 

P. The word cat. 



22 METHODS OF INSTKUCTION. 

T. What do you have at home % 

P. I have a real^ live cat. 

T. What is this? 

P. It is a picture cat. 

T. What is this? 

P. It is the word cat. 

At this point, the teacher may write upon the 
blackboard the word cat quite often, with many 
other short words. Then, let the pupils select the 
word cat as many times as it occurs. In this way, 
the correct form of the word will be impressed 
upon the mind, and the child will be trained to 
compare forms. 

SECOND LESSON. 

Teacher. Let us have a lesson on the dog. How 
many of you have dogs ? 

Pupil. I have one. I have one. 

T. Who has a black one ? 

P. My dog is black, with white feet. 

T. Do you like your dog ? 

P. Yes, sir ; I do like him. 

T. Is he cross ? 

P. No, sir ; he is not cross. 

T. Will he bite a stranger ? 

P. He will bark, but he will not bite. 

T. What can your dog do ? 

P. He can run fast, and he can stand on his 
hxDd feet. 



METHODS OF INSTEUCTION. 23 

T. Wliat is tMs I am pointing to \ 

P. It is a dog. 

T. Can lie bark ? 

P. No, sir ; lie cannot bark, for it is only the 

picture of a dog. 

T. Which would you sooner have, a real dog, 

or a picture dog % 

P. I would sooner have a dog that can bark. 

T. Now I will write the word dog. What do I 
call this ? 

P. The word dog. 

T. Let us see which is the largest, the real dog, 
the ijicture dog, or the icord dog. 

P. I think a real dog is the biggest. 

T. Which is the larger, a dog or a cat % 

P. Dogs are the larger. 

T. Which is the larger, the word dog or the 
word cat f 

P. They are the same size. 

T. Are they alike ? 

P. No, they are not alike. 

Lead pupils to compare words and see their dif- 
ferences, that the form and name of the word may 
be closely associated in their memories. 

At this stage of the work, no attempt to name 
the differences need be made. When the child' s 
vocabulary of written w^ords is somewhat ex- 
tended, then the analysis of the word-forms into 
their elements will be begun. 

In the same way, teach the loritten words for 



24 , METHODS OF IJ^STEUCTION. 

lall, doll, hoy, girl, top, bird, mat, rat, hat, hat, 
man, tree, trap, hoat, and others. 

These conversational lessons should have the 
character of object lessons ; they should draw 
upon the memory and observation of the child; 
they should not end till the child has associated 
with the word-signs a great many important facts. 
These facts will aid the child in his efforts to 
recall. 

So far, the^ exercises indicated are for teaching 
single words only. 



HOW TO TEACH WORDS IN PAIRS AND 
PHRASES. 

Only pairs of loords should be taught, at first, 
that are familiar to the children by frequent use! 
These groups of words contain such words as a, 
an, the, my, his, her, our, and, good, old, and 
sweet. 

They cannot be represented by objects and pict- 
ures. They, however, can be taught in connection 
with some objects that can be shown, and repre- 
sented by pictures upon the blackboard. 

PAIRS OF WORDS. 

a man a top a mat 

a rat a ball a tree 

a bat a doll a trap 



METHODS OF IJS^STBUCTIOIS^. 



25 



a boat 
the man 
the rat 

my book 
his hat 
new boots 

three eggs 
good boy 
large man 

flies fast 



the mat 
the bird 
an ox 

our cat 
her orange 
old shoes 

drinks milk 
eats meat 
bakes cakes 

jump high 



an owl 
an orange 
an ant 



his knife 
two hens 
high tree 

plays ball 
runs fast 
spins around 

sings sweetly 



LESSON ON A PAIR OF WORDS. 

Suppose the first pair of words selected for a 
lesson to be a hall. 

Teacher. What do I have in my hand ? 

Pupils. A ball. 

T. What can you do with it ? 

P. I can throw it. 

T. What do boys do with balls ? 

P. They play with them. 

At this point, the teacher draws a ball upon the 
blackboard. 

T. (Pointing to the picture.) Can you throw 

this ball ? 
P. No, it is not a real ball ; it is only a picture 

ball,. 



26 METHODS OF INSTEUCTION. 

T. What is on the desk % 

P. A ball. 

T. What does this picture show ? 

P. A ball. 

T. I will write a hall under the picture. What 
have I written ? 

P. A ball. 

The pupils may next be taught to read a before 
the other name-words that they recognize by sight. 
These lirst lessons upon jDairs of words should not 
be given without the aid of objects and pictures. 

The teacher must call special attention to the 
pronunciation of the word a before other words 
with which it is used. 

It has the sound of a as heard in the words 
above, around, about. ''It has nearly the short 
sound of a, in at, quickly and slightly pronounced 
in close connection with its word." The usual mis- 
take is to give the sound of a, in ate. 

The letter a, as a word, should not be pro- 
nounced alone by the children. It should always 
be used in connection with the word to which it 
belongs. 

The word tlie in the phrase tlie new hooJc is 
sounded ''tliu booTi,^^ not ^^ tlie booJc,"^^ nor "tJitir 
boolz:' 

A, an, and tlie should be read as the first svlla- 
bles of the words to which they belono:. 

Children will develop the habit, mechanically, 
not naturally, of naming each word by itself. ^Too 



METHODS OF IT^STRUCTIOTs". 



27 



often, through the carelessness of the teacher, the 
pronunciation of individual words passes for read- 
ing. 

The advantage of teaching children to read 
w^ords in ijairs, phrases^ and groups cannot be 
emphasized too strongly. This is one of the most 
efficient ways of avoiding the dreary, drawling 
monotone, so rasping to the ear, often heard in 
our primary schools. It will more safely lead to 
those natural tones of the voice equally pleasant 
to the untrained ear of the child and to the sensi- 
tive perception of the elocutionist. 



HOW TO TEACH PHRASES AND SENTENCES. 



a young horse 
an old horse 
a large man 
a small man 



a high tree 
a low tree 
a good boy 
a bad boy 



the dark hat 
the light hat 
the sweet orange 
the sour orange 



Dogs bark. 
Cats mew. 
Sheep bleat. 
Frogs leap. 



Birds fly. 
Birds sing. 
Boys play. 
Toads hop. 



Ducks swim. 
Horses run. 
Girls talk. 
Men work. 



The same method should be pursued in teaching 
phrases and short sentences as already suggested 
in teaching pairs of words. A ready association 
of the phrase or sentence with the object or pict- 
ure described will deepen the impression. 



28 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

The lessons already suggested are to be given 
from the blackboard. 

Several questions arise as to the form of these 
lessons, and the use to be made of them by the 
pupil. 

First. Shall these lessons be printed upon the 
blackboard ? 

Second. Shall the pupils print upon their slates ? 
If so, how long ? 

Third. Shall these lessons also be presented in 
script % 

Fourth. Shall the pupils be required to copy 
script forms ? 

Fifth. In teaching these children to write, shall 
they be taught to make the elements of letters 
first, or the letters themselves ? 

Sixth. Should the small letters or the capitals 
be taught first ? 

Seventh. When, where, and to what extent 
should phonics be taught ? 

Eighth. Should a child be required to spell from 
memory all the words he learns to read at sight f 

OLD METHODS. 

The old custom was to teach, for the first six 
months or a year, only the printed forms of words 
from blackboard, chart, or book. 

Children were required to copy these printed 
forms. All slate exercises in the use of w^ords and 
sentences were by printing. In fact, the script 



METHODS OF Il^STEUCTION. 29 

forms of letters were not tauglit till the second or 
third school year. 

NEW METHODS. 

There are to-day some advocates of printing for 
four or five months before commencing the use of 
script. 

Some of these are good educators, and accom- 
plish good results. But the majority of our best 
schools employ the j)rinted forms of letters upon 
the blackboard simply to introduce the use of the 
chart or book. This limits the printing to a few 
introductory lessons. 

All word, phrase, and sentence exercises are 
tangM in script. 

Teacher and pupils depend upon the chai-t for 
their use and knowledge of printed words. The 
teacher, however, may occasionally print a diffi- 
cult word upon the blackboard to call special 
attention to its form. 

It must be admitted that the printing of a word 
is the reproducing of its form, and that such an 
exercise will fix words in the mind. 

But if the pupils be required to print, it is done 
at a great sacrifice of time. Further, the time 
soon comes when printing must be discarded and 
writing commenced. 

Therefore, the argument is two-fold : 

1. Do not require the child to print. 

2. Teach him to write from the beginning. 



30 METHODS or INSTEUCTIOlf. 

What shall he write ? Shall he be taught first to 
make the "curves" and "lines" and "loops" of 
letters, or shall he be taught to write w^ords and 
letters ? 

Teach him to write short words and short sen- 
tences. This is the natural method. This is car- 
rying out the w^ord method. The child mind pro- 
ceeds from wholes to parts, from the general to 
the particular. This method will assist in spelling 
and reading. In fact, reading and writing ought 
to be carried along jpari passu. 

The copies must be written in large letters upon 
the blackboard. The pupils may imitate either 
upon blackboard or slate in large hand. 

All blackboard exercises of teachers should be 
perfect models. 

1^0 careless or slovenly work should be tolerated. 
A child will get an impression of a bad form as 
easily as one of a correct form. 

The small letters and capitals should be taught 
simultaneously. 

Of course, a careful selection and grading of 
them according to shape ought to guide the teacher 
in the order of their presentation. 

AYe do not mean that a child must be taught to 
make the capital B w^hen he is taught to make h ; 
but we do mean that B should be written if it 
occurs in the reading words. 

What should be accomplished in six months in 
writing \ 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 31 

1. Children should be able to copy words from 
the blackboard. 

2. Children should be able to copy sentences 
from the blackboard. 

3. Children should be able to translate simple 
words and sentences from the printed form to the 
script form. 

4. Children should be able to write words from 
dictation. 

5. Children should be able to write a few short 
sentences from dictation. 

6. Children should be able to write their names. 

7. Children should be able to write the small 
letters of the alphabet in their proper order, and 
some of the ca^^itals from memory. 

WHEN TO TEACH THE ELEMENTARY SOUNDS. 

After the children are quite familiar by sight 
and sound with a dozen or more words, the teacher 
should proceed to the analysis of spoken words 
into their elementary sounds. 

Suppose it is desired to teach the elements of 
the s]}oken word cat. 

FIRST STEP. 

The teacher repeats it slowly and more slowly 
two, or three, or four times, so as to give ample 
opportunity for the children to see, to hear, and 
to recognize the individual sounds. 



32 METHODS OF INSTEUCTION. 



The word appears upon the blackboard in some 
ing like this form, so the eye may aid the ear : 


o 


cat 
c — a- 

n 


-t 
f 








c — 


a— 


1 



Holding the attention of the class, the teacher 
repeats over and over again the word, dwelling 
on each sound until the children comprehend. 

SECOND STEP. 

Then she requires them to repeat with her in the 
same manner she does. She prolongs each ele- 
mentary sound, and the children do likewise. 

THIRD STEP. 

When the children are able to repeat the sounds, 
she points to each letter of the word c—a—t, and 
requires them to hold the sound as long as her 
pointer remains on it. 

FOURTH STEP. 

The teacher then gives these phonic elements, the 
sounds of c, a, and t, separately, and the pupils 
imitate her. 

The pupils should be drilled upon these element- 
ary sounds until they will be able to recognize them 
in other words and to produce them at pleasure. 

Proceed in the same way with other words and 
sounds until the pupils can pronounce words quite 
readily and analyze simple ones correctly. 



METHODS OF IKSTKUCTIOK. 33 

FIFTH STEP. 

After the pupils have learned some of the short 
and long sounds of the vowels, and the sounds of 
the simple consonants, and know the characters 
that represent them, the making of new words 
should be commenced. 

The teacher writes the letter a on the board, and 
the pupils give its sound; she then places the 
letter t after it, and the pupils give its sound, and 
also the sound of the combination at She then 
places the letter h at the left, and the pupils give 
its sound and the sound of the combination, hat. 
She erases &, and substitutes in turn for it, each of 
the consonants /, r, m, s, and c, and requires the 
children to pronounce the new word. Other exer- 
cises may be made of similar character. 

''To aid the children in learning new words, 
columns of similar w^ords may be written on the 
board, so that the pupils may see their pronuncia- 
tion partly by the analogy of the words ^ Thus, 



at 



it^ 



■e-at 




" in 




t-en 


r-at 




t-in 


\/ 


h-en 




in - 




en -< 


V 


h-at 




p-in 




p-en 


f-at 




f-in 




f-en 
" -e-an 


b-it 




f-un 




f-an 










f-it 




g-un 


V 


N/ 




un -< 


V 


an ^ 


m-an 


p-it 


r-un 




^J 








p-an 


s-it 




s-un 







r-an 



34 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOK. 



Ot - 



■e-ot 




'd-og 




' b-ill 


li-ot 




f-og 




h-ill 


1-ot 


og- 


1-og 


ill^ 


m-ill 


n-6t 




•€-0g 




t-ill 


p-ot 




.b-og 




. p-ill 



ml 



Words may be grouped according to other co 
mon elements. These exercises are not only in 
structive to the child, but very pleasing. Th< 
children should be allowed plenty of exercise ii, 
building new words from letters and elementary 
sounds. . 

It will be found almost impossible to teach the. 
analysis of spoken words, and the forming of ne\^ 
words, without the children's learning the namej 
of the letters. Experience shows that the names 
of the letters are learned apparently without ar 
effort from the teacher. 



In review, then, the distinct steps of teaching ?, 
child to read, are : — 

First. The object or idea. 

Second. The sound symbol^ or sjpo'ken word, . . |j 

Third. The form symbol^ or written word. ■ 

Fourth. The analysis of the spoJcen word., (W 
the elementary sounds. 

Fifth. The analysis of the written words., or 
the letters representing elementary sounds. 

Sixth. The synthesis of these sounds into oral 
words., and these letters into written words. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 35 

PRONUNCIATION. 

I 

Pronunciation is the speaking of words. It 

includes, 

1. Articulation. 

2. Accent. 

Articulation is the distinct and correct utterance 
of the elementary sounds of a language. 

These sounds may be given singly or in com- 
bination. 

The Organs of Speech that need careful atten- 
tion, and constant and judicious exercise to pro- 
duce the sounds, are : — 

The mouth, The lips. 

The tongue, The nose, 

The throat. 

In order to articulate easily and correctly, one 
must have complete control of these organs ; he 
must be able to mold the voice that is produced in 
the larynx into all the possible sounds required. 

Children must be shown how to place, and how 
to use these organs of speech, to make the dif- 
ferent elementary sounds. 

In school, correct articulation may be taught in 
three ways : by imitation ; by correcting the 
errors of pupils ; by phonic analysis. 

Pupils should have frequent drill npon the 
elementary sounds. This exercise is the basis of 
all distinct articulation and correct pronunciation. 



36 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



The number of elementary sounds, as usually 
given, in the English language, is forty-four. 

The sounds may be divided into vocals, sub- 
vocals, and aspirates. 

The vocals have pure tone ; the subvocals have a 
little tone ; the aspirates are toneless, mere breath- 



mgs. 



The letters may be divided into vowels and con- 
sonants. 

The vowels are a, e, z, o, u^ and sometimes w 
and y. 

The consonants are the remaining letters of the 
alphabet. 

VOWEL SOUNDS, OR VOCALS. 





LONG 


VOCALS. 






SHORT 


VOCALS. 


1. 


a, as 


in 


aim, ail. 


9. 


1, 


as in 


it, iU. 


2. 


a. 




air, care. 


10. 


e, 




let, end. 


3. 


a, ' 




arm, farm. 


11. 


V 

o, 




not, odd. 


4. 


a, 




all, ball. 


12. 


u, 




up, cup. 


5. 


e, 




me, eat. 


13. 


V 

a. 




add, sad. 


6. 


A 1 
11, 




fur. 


14. 


a. 




ask, dance. 


7. 


0, 




no, owe. 


15. 


u, 




full, food. 


8. 


ob, '' 




ooze, too. 











COMPOUND VOWELS, OR DIPHTHONGS. 

16. i or ae, as in ice, lie. 

17. u or yob, as in mute, use. 

18. oi or ai, as in oil, boil. 

19. ou or aob, as in out, sound. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



37 



SUBVOCALS. 



b, as in boy, babe. 



V, 

zh, 



did, rod. 

go, g^g- 
gem, judge. 

veer, valve. 

this, breathe. 

zone, zeal. 

azure, seizure. 



1, 

I-, 
m, 

ng, 



as in lo, will. 



u 
ii 
ii 
ii 
ii 
ii 



roar, row. 
maim, 
no, noon, 
sing, ring, 
we, war. 
yard, yet. 



ASPIRATES. 



th. 



as m 

u 
u 



pipe, pm. 
tin, tent, 
kill, kick, 
fife, stiff, 
thin, think. 



ch, as in which, church. 

s, '^ see, sun. 

sh, " shall, shine, 

h, " hat, hut. 

w^h (hw), what, whence. 



EXERCISES FOR PRONUNCIATION. 

1. a = ai, ao, au, ay ea, ei, ey, eigh, net, et. 
grain, gaol, gauge, day, steak, skein, prey, 
eight, bou quet' (ka), and cro chef (sha). 

2. e = ee, ea, ei, eo, ey, uay, i, ie. 

queen, sheaf, re ceive', peo'ple, key, quay 
(ke), machine', and liege. 

3. i = e, ee, ei, e^, ia, ai, u, ui, f, oi, ie. 
pretty, En'glish, breech'es, for'eign, sur'feit, 
mon'e}^, jour'ney^, car'riage, -eur'tain, ger'tain, 
let'tuge, bus'J^ bis'-euit, gir'cuit, pol'igj^, 
tor'toise, and mis'chief. 



38 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

4. e = a, ai, ay, ea, ei, eo, ie, ue, u. 

Thames (temz), a gain' (gen), said (sed), say§ 
(sez), feath'er, lead, heifer, jeop'ard y, 
leop'ard, friend, guest, and bur'i al. 

5. u = 6, 6e, 6o, 6u. 

sponge, tongue, won'der, d6e§, flood, blood, 
young, rough (riif), and tough (tiif). 

6. o = oa, oe, oo, on, ow, aut, eau, eo, ew. 
•eroak, shoar, roe, hoe, door, floor, brooch, 
sourge, dough, know, bowl, haut'boy (ho), 
beau (bo), plateau' (to), tableau' (loj, yeo'- 
man, shew (sho), and sew. 

7. i = ai, eye, Ie, el, ui, uy, y, ye. 

aisle (il), eye (i), -erleg, tie, guide, dis guise', 
ei'ther or ei'ther, nel'ther or nei'ther, gay, 
style, type, and rye. 

In the following words the vowel sounds are 
often misused : — 

Since, just, yes, yet, creek, cellar, my, shrill, 
shriek, when, whip, whirl, morning, evening, fel- 
low, yellow, pillow, heard, civil, satin, rosin, 
chicken, kitchen, travel, basin, raisin, cousin, evil, 
hazel, heaven, and even. 

OBSERVATIONS ON PRONUNCIATION. 

In teaching pronunciation, it will be found a 
good practice to keep lists of words usually mis- 
pronounced. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOJS". 



39 



The attention of the class should be directed 
quite frequently to these words. They should be- 
come familiar with the correct pronunciation of 
them ; and at the same time trained to detect 
common errors. 

The appended list is added as an illustration oi- 
a model lesson. These words will furnish exercise 
both for the grammar and primary pupils. 

It is suggested that the teacher of the First 
Keader make a selection of words from her book 
and from the conversations of her pupils. 

The same principle can be carried out in each 
grade in the school. 



MISPRONUNCIATIONS. 



e qui lat'er al, not e qui. 
al'ti tudH, not tdbd. 
e qui an'gu lar, not e qui. 
di ag'o nal, not de. 
■c5nVex, not con vex'. 
■€on'«a\^, not con cave', 
a're a, not a re'a. 
sim'i lar, not siniTar. 
win'dowg, not win'derg. 
gent'u ry-, not sench'ry". 
€or'al, not -eor'al. 
por'oixs, not por'ous. 
chim'ney, not chim'ly. 
pet'alj not pit'tle. 



is'o la ted, not i'so la ted. 
■ea'ret, not -ear'et. 
def 'i git, not de fig'it, 
qul'nin>s^, not nen'. 
na'tion al, not na'tion al. 
fa-e'to ries, not fact'rieg. 
hanU'some, not hand. 
chesVnut, not chest'. 
mu ge'um, not mu'se um. 
-eleXn'ly-, not -cleHn'iy. 
fa tigXV, not tig', 
en dure', not door', 
in'ter est, not in'trest. 
a gree'ment, not a gree'. 



40 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



per'son al, not pers'nal. 
clog'il^, not do'gil^. 
gag'e ous, not gas'shus. 
-eom'plex, not -eom plex'. 
-eom'pound, not pound', 
we^p'on, not we'pon. 
la'vor ite, not fa'vor Ite. 
do^g, not doz. 
been (bin), not ben. 
just, not gist, 
don'key, not dun'key. 
n^u'ter, not nob'ter. 
sev'er al, not sev'ral. 
e -eo nom'i-e al, not e-e. 
strength, not strenth. 
ho I'l'zon, not hor'i zon. 
h^%l^t, not h^I^i^th. 
di am'e ter, not de am'. 
I tal'ian, not Ttarian. 
A'pril, not A'prile. 
ap par'ent, not ap jDar'. 
nat'ural, ?^oi^ natch'ral. 
poi'gon ous, not pois'ness 
Ar-e'ti-e, not Ar'ti-e. 
Ant ar-e'ti-e, not Ant ar'. 
fau'gets, not fas'ets. 
pai-'al lei, not par'lel. 
umbrel'las, not 

nm ber el'lars 
a'-eorn, not a'-eorn. 



a -eross', not a kraws'. 
a gain (gen'), not a gain', 
a gainst (genst), 

not a gainst', 
dost, not dost, 
doth, not doth, 
a-e'tor, not a-e'tor. 
al'ge bra, not bra. 
-erti'el, not -emle. 
■eVirt'e ous, not -eokrt'. 
dis'gi pline, not dis ^ip'. 
e' en, not an. 
elm, not el'm. 
ep'och, not e'poch. 
ne'er (nar), not ner. 
ere (ar), not ere. 
lio'rist, not Hor'ist. 
gath'er, not geth'er. 
ge og'ra phy, not jog', 
gos'pel, not gaws'pel. 
greas^ {ii.) 

greagV' (^'0 
re gess', not re', 
the'a ter, not the a'ter. 
yon'der, not yiin'der. 
run'ning, not liin'nin. 
-eom'ing, not com'en. 
food, not food, 
-eon'i-e al, not -eon'ic al. 
tra'che a, not trach. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



41 



broil ■ehl'tis, not -ehit'is. 
ec\§'i It, not e^§'ly. 
per gep'tion, not pregep'. 
mem'o ly, not niem'ry. 
i de'a§, not I'deas. 
lie^r'ing, not lie^r'in. 
deii'tiiie, not den teen', 
i'vo r}^, not iv'ry. 
2^er'nia nent, not 

j)erm'nent. 
dti't}^, not dob'ty. 
zo ol'o gy, not zcTb'ol o gy. 
ap'x>e tite, not ap'a tite. 
di vid'ed, not dl. 
rep'til^g, not rep'til^§. 
nom'i na tive, not 

nom'ni tive. 



A'sia (A'shia), not A'zia. 
new (nil), not nob. 
tu'lips, not tdb'lips. 
mal^lv'er el, Tio^ ma^^k'rel. 
fig'ureg, not fig'erg. 
Ar'abs, not A'rabs. 
liun'dreds, not derd§. 
j)rog'ess, not pro'gess. 
min'u end, not miii'u en. 
j)rod'nct, not pro'duct. 
di vl'sor, not di vi'sor. 
naught, not aught. 
toSVards (to'ards), not 

to wordz'. 
sin'gu lar, not sing'ler. 
e las'ti-e, not las'ti-e. 



ACCENT. 

Accent is the stress placed upon syllables to 
make them distinct. 

This stress may be placed by increasing the 
time of saying the syllable, by a greater force 
upon it, and by raising the pitch of the accented 
syllable. 

Accents are primary and secondary. 

In the English language, every word of more 
than one syllable has one of its syllables accented ; 
sometimes a second syllable has special stress laid 
upon it. 



42 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

The following words afford examples of accent : 



com'pound (n) 
com pound' {v) 
ac'cent {n) 
accent' (??) 
Au'gust (n) 
august' {a) 



blas'phe mous {a) 
bias phem'ing (v) 
min'ute {n) 
mi nute' (a) 
in tend' 
su'per in tend' 



I 



SENTENCES FOR ARTICULATION. 

1. Air, earth, and sea resound His praise. 

2. He may pray, but it will be all in vain. 

3. We must believe to be saved. 

4. Father, thy hand hath reared these venerable 
columns. 

5. Urge not high birth, but modest worth. 

6. The blood oozed from his ghastly wound. 

7. Inch by inch we will dispute the ground. 

8. I would never lay down my arms, never/ 
NEVEE ! NEVER ! 

9. This rock shall fly from its firm base as 
soon as I. 

10. The lark carols clear in yonder sphere. 

11. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone. 

12. Clasping to his heart his boy, he fainted on 
the deck. 

13. Full many a gem of purest I'ay serene. 

14. Bound thy desires by thy means. 

15. He knew that to tear the new dress was 
wrong. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOJN^. 43 

16. Renew it o'er and o'er. 

17. Despair not of success in the darkest hour. 

18. Verily, verily, I say unto you. 

19. He has reached the zenith of his glory. 

20. Round the rude ring, the ragged rascal ran. 

21. Rich, ripe, round fruit hung round the 
room. 

22. Wave your tops, ye pines, in praise and 
worship. 

23. Now none so poor to do him reverence. 

24. Was ever a woman in this humor wooed ? 

25. Three thousand thistles were thrust through 
his thumb. 

26. She sells sea-shells. 

27. Socks and shoes shock Samuel. 

28. The thoughtless, helpless, homeless girl did 
not resent his rudeness and harshness. 

29. He accepts the office, and attempts by his 
acts to conceal his faults. 

30. The supply lasts still. 

31. It is the first step that costs. 

32. Dancing, skipping, running, and jumping 
are excellent exercises. 

33. The young man shouted, " Ice-cream for two 
young ladies." 

The young man shouted, '' I scream for two 
young ladies." 

34. Summer showers and soft sunshine shed 
sweet influences on spreading shrubs and shooting 
seeds. 



44 METHODS OF IKSTRUCTION. 

35. James, will you bring me some ice ? 
James, will you bring me some mice ? 

36. Benjamin Bramble Briar, a blundering bank- 
er, borrow^ed the baker's birchen broom to brush 
the blinding cobwebs from his brain. 

37. Thirty -three thousand and thirty -three 
thoughtless youths thronged the thoroughfare, 
and thought that they could thwart three thou- 
sand thieves by throwing thimbles at them. 

38. Amidst the mists and coldest posts, with 
barest wrists and stoutest boasts, he thrusts his 
fists against the posts, and still insists he sees the 
ghosts. 

39. That morning, thou, that slumber' dst not 

before, 
Nor sleep' st, great ocean, laidst thy waves 

at rest. 
And push' dst thy mighty minstrelsy. 

EMPHASIS. 

Emphasis is a peculiar utterance given to words 
in a sentence to draw attention to them. 

Emphasis may be given by an increase of Force^ 
by a change in the Quality^ Inflection, Pltcli, or 
Movement. 

" Emphasis is in speech what coloring is in 
painting.' ' 

The proper use of Emphasis in reading gives a 
variety of tone and expression that awakens ani- 
mation and interest. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOIS". 45 

EXAMPLES. 

LARGE CAPITALS, small capitals, and 
Italics, respectively indicate the highest, medium, 
and lowest degrees of emphasis. 

Go ring the hells, and fire the guns. 
And fling the starry banners out ; 
Shout ''FREEDOM ! " till your lisping ones 
Give back their o^adle shout. 

StriJce—tiW the last armed foe expires ; 
Strike— for your altars and jouv fires ; 
STRIKE— for the green graves of your sires ; 
God, and your native land I 

Thou slave ! thou toretcli ! thou coward ! 
Arm! Arm! ye heavens, against these perjured 

kings ! 

Hurrah ! Hurrah ! for Sheridan ! 
Hurrah ! Hurrah ! for horse and man ! 

Simpson came up with his face pale as ashes, 
and said, " Captain, the ship is on fire:' 

Then was heard ''Fire! Fire! FIRE!" on 
shipboard. 

1. Ididnotsayhei?rai5e^me; I said he &Zame<^ 

me. 

2. I did not say he praised me ; I said Mary 

did. 

3. I did not say he praised me ; I lorote it. 

4. /did not say he praised me ; but Mary said 
he did. 



46 METHODS OF IT^STRUCTIOIS'. 

He that cannot hear a jest, should never make 
one. 

Here I stand and scoff you ! here I fling hatred 
and defiance in your face. 

Hence ! Home, you idle creatures ! get you 
HOME ! 
I met him, faced him, SCORNED him. 

The charge is utterly^ totally, MEANLY false. 

My friends, our country must be free ! The 
land is never lost, that has a son to rigM her, and 
here are troops of sons, and LOYAL ones ! 

AYhat stroi^ger breastplate than a heart vn- 
tainted ! 

THRICE is he armed that hath his quarrel 
JUST ; and he but naked, though locked up in 
STEEL, whose conscience with injustice is cor- 
rupted. 

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounce it 
to you ; trippingly on the tongue ; but if you 
mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief 
the town-crier spake my lines. Nor do not saw 
the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all 
gently ; for in the very torrent, tempest^ and (as I 
may say) whirlwind of your passion, you must 
acquire and beget a temperance that will give it 
smoothness. 



METHODS OF INSTKUCTIOK. 47 

Whew, Tiark ! Oh, horror ! what a crash is there! 
What shriek is that wliich fills the midnight air ? 
'^Tis fire! 'Tis fire! She wakes to dream no 

more I 
The hot blast rushes through the blazing door ! 
The room is dimmed with smoke — and hark ! that 

cry ! 
''Help! Help! Will no one aidf I die! I 

die!" 
She seeks the casement ; shuddering at its height^ 
She turns again ; the ^QYce flames mock \\<dT flight ; 
Along the crackling stairs they wildly play^ 
And roar^ exulting^ as they seize their prqj, 
"Help! Help! Will no one ca7?^6f " She can 

no more, 
But, pale and breathless, sinks upon \hQ floor. 
* -5^ -^ ^ « * ^ 

The fireman comes to rescue, or to die ! 
He mounts tlie stair — it wavers 'neath his tread ; 
He SEEKS the ^oom,— flames flashing round his 

head; 
He BURSTS the DOOR ; he lifts her prostrate 

frame, 
And turns again to brave the mging flame. 

^ * ^ * * * * 

He leaps from burning stair to stair. On ! Ok ! 
COURAGE ! One effort more and all is won ! 
The stair is passed— \he blazing hall is braved ! 
Still on! Yet on! ONCE MORE! Thank 
Heaven, she's saved ! 



48 METHODS OF IJS^STRUCTIOK. 

FORCE. 

Force is the degree of strength or weakness of 
the voice. 

Volume and loudness are dependent upon force. 

Volume is measured by the amount of space 
filled with the sound. Loudness is measured by 
the distance at which a sound can be heard. The 
tones of the organ are examples of volume ; the 
notes of a fife are examples of loudness. 

SUBDUED FORCE; SOFT OR GENTLE. 

Tfead lightly, comrades. Ye have laid 

His dark locks on his brow, 
Like life, save deeper light and shade,— 

We'll not disturb them now. 

Tread lightly ! for 'tis beautiful. 
That blue- veined eyelid's sleep, 

Hiding the eye death left so dull ; 
Its slumber we will keep ! 

LOUD FORCE. 

Come back, come back, Horatius ! 

Loud cried the Fathers, all !— 
Back, Lartius ! back, Herminius ! 

Back, ere the ruins fall ! 

Up drawbridge ; groom ; what warder ; ho ! 
Let the porticullis fall. 



METHODS OF II^STRUCTIOK. 49 

SUPPRESSED FORCE. 

Hark ! James, listen ! for I must not speak loud. 
I do not wish John to hear what I am saying. 
Step softly ; speak low ; make no noise. 

Mother, the angels do so smile, and beckon 

little Jim, 
I have no pain, dear mother, now, but 0, I am 

so dry ! 
Just moisten poor Jim's lips again, and, mother, 

don't you cry. 

Pity the sorrows of a. j)oor old man. 

Whose trembling limbs have borne him to 
your door, ^ 

Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span ; 

O give relief ! and Heaven will bless your store. 

INFLECTION. 

Inflection is an upward or downward slide of 
the voice. 

Inflections are of tw^o kinds : the rising and the 
falling. 

The rising inflection is a gliding of the voice 
upward, and is marked ( ^ ). 

The falling inflection is a gliding of the voice 
downward, and is marked ( ^ ). 

The circumflex is the union of the rising and fall- 
ing inflections, and is marked by the caret ( ^ ^ ). 

Monotone is the sameness of tone, and it is 
produced by the absence of inflection. 



50 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

EXAMPLES. 

Wm they do it ? Dare they do it ? 

Who is speaking i What's the news ? 
What of Adams ? What of Sherman « 

God grant they won't refuse ! 

my son Absalom ! my son, my son Absalom ! 
Would God I had died for thee, Absalom, my 
son, my son ! 

If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, 
while a foreign troop was in my country, I never 
would lay down my arms — never! never! 
NEYE^ ! 

" Come back ! come back ! " he cried in grief, 

Across the stormy water ; 
''And I'll forgive your Highland chief ; 

My daughter ! 0, my daughter ! " 

Do you love your home ? 
When are you going home ? 

1 said an old soldier, not a better. 

The great, the good, the honored, the noble, the 
wealthy, alike pass away. 

^ . , A V 

He intends to ride, not to walk. 

Are you going to California ? Yes. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 51 

How many miles to California ? Three tliousand. 

What would content you? Talent? No. En- 
terprise? No. Courage? No. Keputation? No. 
Virtue? No. The men whom you would select 
should possess not one, but all of these. 

We are perplexed, but not in despair ; perse- 
cuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not de- 
stroyed. 

They poor, I rich ; they beg, I give ; they lack, 
I lend ; they pine, I live. 

Not many generations ago, where you noAv sit, 
encircled with all that exalts and embellishes civil- 
ized life, the rank thistle nodded in the wind, and 
the wild fox dug his hole unsecured. 

Men of action ! men of might ! 

Stern defenders of the right ! 

Are you girded for the fight ? 
^ * ^ * * 

Lost — desert of manly youth ! 

Lost — the right you had by bii'th ! 

y^ ^ ^\ 

Lost — lost — Freedom for the earth ! 



52 METHODS OF I]^STRUCTION. 

Freeman, up ! The foe is nearing ! 
Haughty banners high uprearing — 
Lo, their serried ranks appearing ! 

A 
Yet this is Rome, 

That sat on her seven hills, and, from her tnrone 

/ A V A 

Of beauty, ruled the world ! Yet we are Romans ! 

A 
Why, in that elder day, to be a Roman 

A \ 

Was greater than a king I And once again, 

Hear me, ye walls, that echoed to the tread 

Of either Brutus, — once again, I swear, 

The eternal city shall he free ! 

MOVEMENT. 

Momment of voice is the rate with which words 
are uttered. 

The three princix)al degrees of movement are :■ — 
1. Moderate ; 2. Slow; 3. Rapid. 

The first is used in the delivery of narrative, 
descriptive, and unimpas stoned thought. 

The second is used to express griefs doiibt, so- 
lemnity, seriousness, reverence^ horror, and awe. 

The third is used to express mirth, joy, anima- 
tion, cheerfulness, hate, anger, and excited emo- 
tions. 



METHODS OF i:nstkuction. 53 

EXAMPLES. 

Wide as the world is His command, 

Vast as eternity His love ; 
Firm as a rock His truth shall stand, 

When rolling years shall cease to move. 

Slowly and sadly we laid him down. 
From the field of his fame fresh and gory ; 

We carved not a line, we raised not a stone. 
But we left him alone with his glory. 

A hurry of hoofs in a village street, 

A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, 
And beneath from the pebbles, in passing, a spark 

Struck out by steed that flies fearless and fleet. 

PITCH. 

Fitch is the degree of loudness or lowness of 
the voice. 

The three principal degrees of pitch are :— 

1. Medium; 2. Loio ; 3. High. 

The first best expresses narration and descrip- 
tion. 

The second best expresses sorrow, pathos, so- 
lemnity, reverence, seriousness, devotion, awe, and 
grandeur. 

The third best expresses joy, gayety, earnest- 
ness, animation, delight, sJiouting, calling, com- 
manding, and all impassioned thought. 



54 .METHODS OF INSTRUCTIOJN^. 

HIGH PITCH. 

I come ! I come ! ye have called me long ; 
I come o'er the mountains with light and song ; 
Ye may trace my steps o'er the wakening eartli, 
By the winds which tell of the violet's birth, 

By the jDrimrose stars in the shadowy grass, 
By the green leaves opening as I pass. 

From '^ Voice of Spring,^'' — Mrs. IIemans. 
LOW PITCH. 

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll ! 

Ten thousand fleets sweep o'er thee in vain ! 
Man marks the earth wdth ruin — his control 

Stops with the shore ; upon the watery plain 

The w^recks are all thy deed, nor doth remain 
A shadow of man's ravage, save his OAvn, 

When, for a moment, like a drop of rain, 
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan. 
Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and 
imknown. 

QUALITY OF VOICE. 

Quality of Voice relates to the purity or im- 
purity of the tone. 

The five principal tones are : — 

1. Pure; 2. Aspirated; 3. Orotund; 4. Gut- 
tural; 5. Nasal. 

Pure tones are produced when all the breath is 
vocalized. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. . 55 

Aspirated tones are produced by vocalizing only 
part of the breath. 

Orotund is pure tone used in impassioned utter- 
ance by means of increased volume of voice. The 
tone is full, round, deep, and musical. 

The Guttural tones are harsh, rough, and dis- 
cordant, with their resonance in the throat. 

The Nasal tones seem to have their resonance 
in the nose. 

PURE TONE. 

The splendor falls on castle walls, 
And snowy summits old in story ; 

The long light shakes across the lakes, 
And the wild cataract leaps in glory. 

ASPIRATED. 

Only the old camp raven croaks. 

And soldiers whisper : "Boys, be still ! 
There's some bad news from Grainger's folks." 

OROTUND. 

Thou, too, sail on, O ship of State ! 
Sail on, O Union, strong and great ! 

GUTTURAL. 

Hath a dog money 1 Is it possible 
A cur can lend three thousand ducats ? 

From ''Jlerchant of Fen/c^,"— Shakespeare. 



56 . METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON READING. 

Some teachers fail to get good results in reading 
from over-anxiety. They act as if a child were 
guilty of a heinous crime for making mistakes in 
reading. And carrying out the true principle of 
police detection, arrest the boy as soon as he com- 
mits an error. 

This mode of criticising is seriously faulty. It 
destroys the tendency to spontaneous, natural, and 
appreciative reading. It leads the boy to regard 
freedom from mispronunciation, etc., as the true 
test of good reading. He fails to render the senti- 
ment of the lesson, for his attention is entirely 
engaged elsewhere. Often the timid, and those 
that stutter, by such treatment as this are made 
quite helpless. They are unable to read. 

Let the boy ordinarily finish his reading. Then 
the criticism may be made by the class under the 
direction of tJie teacher . 

The following is the opinion of Supt. A. P. Stone : 

"If teachers will cease to require little children 
to 'read over' and to 'study' beforehand their 
reading exercise — a task entirely unsuitable at 
their age — and will also put an end to the absurd 
practice of allowing j-upils to Iceep up during the 
reading exercise a running criticism upon each 
other hy irritating and aggravating remarlcs^ thus 
mortifying their more timid companions, and 
sometimes paying off old grudges ; and will then 



METHODS OF instructio:n^. 57 

confine their labors mainly to two points : to mak- 
ing the child realize the thought of the sentence to 
be read ; and to showing him, by example and 
good vocal drill, how to give a pleasant and nat- 
ural expression to that thought ; the best part of 
the victory will then be won." 



Teachers who wish to be successful instructors 
in the art of reading should give careful attention 
to the study of the characters of their pupils. 
Such a study will reveal the style of reading, or 
expression, natural to each one, and its defects 
and good qualities. 

Pupils differ much in temperament, habit of 
speech, and intellectual endow^nents. Some are 
capable of a quick and rapid delivery ; others are 
slow and deliberate, and measured in speech. 

Some are full of life and fire ; others lack ani- 
mation and force. 

Usually, it will be found that the temperament 
of the child will indicate the peculiar style of ex- 
pression suited to him. 

The teacher should aim not to make all her pu- 
pils speak like herself, or to fashion them in speech 
after some set style, but to give full scope to their 
natural forms of expression. She should, how- 
ever, be very careful to prune away all defects of 
speech acquired by bad habit, or by want of proper 
training. 



58 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

The opinion of Superintendent N'ewell is given 
as follows : 

"A part of the time saved by judicious man- 
agement should be given to reading ; not to the 
mere calling of words, nor to premature lessons in 
elocution, but to plain reading from the best books 
for the sake of the information they contain. 

" It is not creditable to our efforts as educators 
that so large a proportion of pupils passes from us 
without having acquired a taste for the reading of 
good books. If our system confers the ability to 
read without creating a desire for the right kind 
of reading, it surely stands in need of reforma- 
tion. . . . Yery little of the arithmetic which 
children learn in school can be made available in 
after life. Their feats in analysis and parsing are 
never to be repeated in the actual contests of real 
life. Nine-tenths of what they have learned as 
geography will pass away as the morning cloud 
and the early dew. 

'' But a taste for good reading will last for life ; 
mil be available every day and almost every hour, 
and will grow by what it feeds on ; will so occupy 
the time of the young as to rob temptation of half 
its power by stealing more than half its oppor- 
tunities, and will be a refuge and solace in ad- 
versity.' 



^5 



Lessons for beginners should be very short, not 
exceeding ten or fifteen minutes in length. 



METHODS OF IJS^STRUCTION. 59 

At all times, the most careful attention must be 
given to the pronunciation, to correct bad habits 
and mistakes, both in conversation and in reading. 

If children are allowed to learn and continue 
incorrect and careless x)ronunciation when young, 
the difficulty of overcoming these defects, at a 
later period, is very much enhanced. 

Do not allow children to x^ronounce words, one 
by one, with long pauses, slowly and monoto- 
nously. They must be trained to read lohrases and 
seiitences. From first to last, particular attention 
must be given to the much-abused words a and the. 

Pupils, at all times, must be trained to stand 
erect, and to hold the book x3roperly. This is a 
matter simply of training. 

It is a bad practice to point to each word upon 
blackboard or chart as the child reads. This 
method invariably produces stiff, slow, and mo- 
notonous reading. Have the children learn to 
keep the place with the eye. 

The habit of requiring or of allowing primary 
children to keep place, when reading, with finger, 
is also faulty and objectionable. Train the eye. 

Require pilpils to open their mouths freely in 
reading. The full, free, and forcible play of the 
vocal organs is often interfered with by keeping 



60 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

the lips and teeth half closed. A chewing or 
moutJiing of the words is the result of this care- 
less habit. 

Frequent concert drills upon the vowel sounds 
will overcome this habit. 

Every reading lesson should be introduced by a 
breathing exercise. These exercises in deep breath- 
ing will be found very helpful in strengthening the 
lungs, and in giving volume to the voice. At 
such times, the windows may be opened to admit 
fresh air. Train pupils to keep their lungs well 
filled with air, and to breathe often while reading. 

Be careful to avoid the high-pitched, sharp, 
rasping, unnatural school-tones ; also, the other 
extreme, the monotonous, drawling, and sing-song 
tones. Cultivate a free, easy, conversational style. 

Change your mode of conducting your recitation. 
A dreary sameness begets languor and indifference. 
Variety lends interest. 

If a teacher finds the reading period dull and 
uninteresting to her class, she needs to look well 
to her method of conducting the lesson. No other 
recitation affords as many resources to incite in- 
terest and convey instruction. 

The teacher should not only be familiar with the 
lesson read, but should possess a fund of informa- 
tion bearing upon the lesson, but not found in it. 



.METHODS OF OSTRUCTION. 61 

Train your younger pupils to overcome their 
faults. Commend them when you can ; encourage 
them always ; show them how to read by reading 
for them. 

Keep a list of words that pupils most frequently 
mispronounce, and drill your pupils npon them 
daily. The exercise of pronouncing all review 
words is very beneficial, and helps very materially 
the sigM reading. 

Pronounce and explain the nse and meaning of 
all new words in the advance lesson before the 

pupils read it. 

Remember that concert recitations are attended 
with many dangers. Only the strongest teachers 
can use this method of conducting a recitation 
with seeming safety. Use it sparingly, only to 
bring out the voices of the children, to wake up a 
class, or to teach some statement. 

ORTHOGRAPHY. 

This word, OrtJiograpliy, is from ortlios, right, 
and grapho, I write ; its literal meaning is, to write 
correctly. It thus refers primarily to written spell- 
ing, and this is its chief use. 

Oral spelling is simply a school practice, a means 
to an end ; the real value of a knowledge of or- 
thography is most clearly seen in writing or com- 
position work. 



62 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

Therefore, in selecting metliods of teaching, it is 
best to train a boy to do what he can continue to 
do in business. 

The importance of spelling, historically con- 
sidered, has varied. Many years ago, when spell- 
ing, reading, writing, and arithmetic constituted 
the course of study, the first occupied the largest 
part of the pupil's time. Subsequently, when 
geography and mental arithmetic were introduced, 
spelling was neglected. It soon became a matter 
of comment that boys and girls were leaving the 
public and parochial schools poorer spellers than 
their parents. Of course this was a low standard, 
and a healthy reaction took place in favor of giving 
spelling its proper place. Spelling in our schools 
receives to-day its just share of attention. 

Correct spelling must be regarded as an accom- 
plishment and as an indication of a scholarly mind. 
Some one has said that, ''The possession of a 
knowledge of correct spelling procures no credit, 
but the want entails disgrace.'''* 

The difficulty of learning to pronounce and to 
spell fhe English language has been referred to in 
a former part of this work. The use of silent let- 
ters, and the use of different letters and combina- 
tion of letters to represent the same sound, and 
the different powers of one letter, increase the 
irregularity of the language and the difficulty of 
learning to spell. 

The teacher must accept the language as it is, 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 63 

and the boys and girls must learn it, notwithstand- 
ing its difficulties. 

METHODS OF TEACHING. 

The two methods in general use are the oral and 
written methods. 

The Oral Method teaches spelling by naming 
the letters of words. ' ' It consists in memorizing 
the sound-order of letters, with the expectation 
that the association of the names will become fixed 
in the memory in their proper order, like the 
words of a quotation.' ' 

Some of the advantages of this method are : — 

1. It teaches the pronunciation of words, which 
the written method does not. 

2. It teaches how to syllabify. 

Note. — In writing a spelling exercise, the words should not be 
syllabified. They should be written as they ordinarily occur on 
a printed page. 

3. It gives life to a class. 

4. It saves time. 

5. It is less laborious for teachers. 
The chief disadvantages are : — 

1. While boys may learn to spell orally w^ell, 
their written spelling will be marred by the most 
inexcusable mistakes. 

2. Spelling hy sound is so completely divorced 
from spelling ly sight, that it does not add to the 
ability to waite correctly. 

3. There is no practical value to oral spelling. 



6.4 METHODS or INSTRUCTIOJSr. 

4. Pupils cannot be tested in all the words. 

The Written Method teaches spelling by writing 
the letters of words. It is based upon the princi- 
ple of fixing the form of words upon the memory 
through the sense of sight. We spell more by 
form than by sound. We use the sense of seeing 
in spelling more than that of hearing. Words 
are remembered in form very much as pictures 
are. 

Some of the advantages of this method are : — 

1. Children learn to spell more quickly and cor- 
rectly. 

2. Children taught to spell by this method will 
spell correctly when they wTite letters and other 
compositions. 

3. Each pupil, according to this metliod, may 
spell all the words in the lesson. 

4. This method requires the attention of the en- 
tire class. 

5. This method aifords an opportunity to review 
the difficult and misspelled words. This advan- 
tage, properly used, is one of the most important. 
The pupils sTiould he required to re-write all the 
words they missed. 

6. This method furnishes an oi:)portunity for 
careful wilting. 

7. This method furnishes an opportunity for 
general exercises, in which use and meaning of 
Avords, the value of capital letters and punctuation 
marks, may be taught in dictation exercises. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 65 

HOW TO CONDUCT A RECITATION. 

The words may be written by the pupils upon 
blackboards, on slates, or in blank-books. 

If the exercise is upon the hlackhoard^ the words 
should be written in columns. 

As a guard against copying, it will be found ad- 
visable to divide the pupils into two classes, re- 
quiring them to number in the order of their posi- 
tion at the board. All whose numbers are odd 
shall write the same word, and whose numbers are 
even shall write the following word. 

In making corrections, the teacher spells the 
word, and the pupils mark their misspelled words. 
At a signal, the pupils may change places, and 
then each pupil will correct the work of another. 

If the exercise is on the slate, each pupil may 
write all the words in columns as before. The 
class, at the discretion of the teacher, if double 
desks are used, may be divided into two rows, 
and each row will spell every other word. 

After the lesson is written, the teacher will spell 
the words, or call upon a pupil to spell them. 
The boys and girls will correct their own words, 
or they may exchange slates, and in this way one 
pupil will correct for another. 

The best method of conducting a recitation is to 
write the words in a blank-book, specially pre- 
pared for the purpose. In this book all the exer- 
cises are carefully kejit. All the misspelled words 



66 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

are in a convenient form for reference. If not 
daily, at stated intervals, the teacher should over- 
see the correction of errors. 

The words should be written neatly loith ink. 
The same care should be exercised with this reci- 
tation as during the writing j^eriod. Pupils often 
think that if their copy-books are kept neat and 
clean, it does not matter how their other writing 
is done. 

No school exercise shonld be carelessly written ; 
a teacher should not receive one carelessly written 
from a pupil. 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON SPELLING. 

Make a judicious combination of oral and writ- 
ten spelling. 

1. If single words are written, they should be 
commenced with small letters, except those that 
are always written with capitals. 

2. Always keep a list of the misspelled words. 

3. Always require pupils to re-write their mis- 
spelled words. 

4. Keep a special list of ordinary words that are 
frequently misspelled. 

5. In oral spelling, require pupils to pronounce 
each word before spelling it. 

6. Require pupils to pronounce each word after 
spelling. 

7. In oral spelling, require pupils to divide 
words into svllables. 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 67 



8. It is not necessary to pronounce each syllable ; 
NEVER repronounce syllables. This is sometimes 
done : rliinoceros^ rhi, r^, noc, nog^ e, e, ros, ros^ 
rhi no^' e ros. 

Never repronounce in this way : rhi, rz, noc, noc^ 
rhi nog^ e, e, rhi nog e, ros, ros^ rhi nog e ros. 

This is a useless expenditure of strength and 
time. Again, the syllables containing the unim- 
portant vowel sounds cannot always be pronounced 
correctly alone. They often modify one another. 

9. Before writing the lesson, occasionally require 
pupils to define words, and to construct sentences 
showing the meaning of them. 

10. In primary grades, where no spelling-book 
is used, classify words according to some common 
syllable or sound, after the words have been pre- 
sented. 

11. In elementary classes, including the use of 
the First and Second Readers, the attempt of 
teaching the spelling of all the words in the les- 
sons should not be made. 

Children will be able to read at sight a greater 
number of words than they can spell from memory. 

By attempting too much, the children are over- 
burdened, discouraged, and failure is the result. 

Make a selection of the words. 

12. Teach the application of a few of the im- 
portant rules of spelling. These rules will aid 
them to spell a large class of words in current 
use. 



68 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 

13. Train pupils to prepare their lessons by 
copying them. 

14. The natural and most successful way to 
teach spelling is from dictation exercises. When 
words are studied in living relation with one an- 
other, they have a meaning ; they have a force and 
significance which is recognized by the boy. He 
is able to grasp both the form and the use of the 
word. The exercise is not one void of all interest 
and apparent use, but it becomes attractive to him, 
for each word bears its own history and tells its 
own story. The old method of teaching spelling 
from columns of words is a relic of the past. It 
will serve to mark the progress made in the art of 
teaching spelling. Spelling, as an accomplishment, 
is not a distinct possession of the mind, but it is 
a necessary concomitant of all literary effort. In 
this way, it should be presented and studied. 
Following out this idea, the most philosophic- 
ally arranged spelling-books are the ''Reading 
Spellers." 

15. If the orthography and meaning of words 
are taught in sentences, the labor of learning set 
definitions may be largely dispensed with. A sim- 
ple explanation by the pupil of the use of a word 
is often better than a formal dictionary definition. 

16. The author is wholly opposed to the method 
of presenting false or incorrect orthography to be 
spelled correctly by the pupils. It is not a safe 
method of instruction, with immature minds, to 



METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. 69 

set false models before them for their criticism and 
correction. It is much preferable to have the pu- 
pils spend their entire energy in studying correct 
forms. 

17. A carefully selected list of Tiomonyms should 
be made for every grade of children in a school. 
This list may be collated from the reader in use ; 
but it will be found necessary, in many cases, to 
add words that the children use in their conver- 
sation. 

These words are of too frequent use to be passed 
with casual notice. The best way to train pupils 
to distinguish them is in sentences. 



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